This invention relates to a device for forwardly and rearwardly adjusting the position of a safety headrest or pillow provided above a backrest of a vehicle seat for protecting a passenger's or driver's head from a shock to the vehicle.
Means have been proposed for upwardly and downwardly adjusting the position of the headrest relative to the backrest of a vehicle seat by varying the position of engagement of a stay supporting the headrest with retaining means provided on the backrest. Means have also been proposed for adjusting the angular position of the headrest relative to the backrest about a horizontal axis provided on the central portion of the headrest. With these arrangements, however, it is impossible to adjust the forward or rearward position of the headrest relative to the backrest of the seat.
Usually when a passenger or driver sits in the seat, his physical features and posture cause a variation in the distance between his head and the headrest of the vehicle seat. If there is any space between the head and the pre-set headrest, there will be a risk that the head is not protected effectively by the headrest when the passenger or driver experiences a shock. It is also usual that when the passenger sits in the seat with the backrest in its reclined position, he feels a sense of security by supporting his head on the headrest retained in a position vertically higher than the passenger's body. Therefore, a vehicle seat is required which is provided with a safety headrest which can be adjusted in the forward and rearward directions relative to the backrest of the seat.